5 days ago
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The Seattle Seahawks hold all the cards and their path to the one seed in the NFC is there for the taking. If they win on Saturday, they get a first-round bye and every opponent they face on the path to the Super Bowl will have to hear the 12th man roar.
If the Seahawks lose, they will be the five seed and travel to the winner of the NFC South. That is the only playoff spot still undecided between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — but the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints will decide that. If the Falcons win Sunday, all three teams are 8-9 and Carolina wins the three-way head-to-head tiebreaker. If the Saints win, Tampa wins the 8-9 tiebreaker with the Panthers due to win percentage in common games. Intrigue!
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NFC West standings
The winner of the Seahawks game against the San Francisco 49ers will win the NFC West and be the one seed in the conference. With the Super Bowl in San Francisco’s home stadium, the 49ers could play the rest of their season at home if they win in Week 18.
The Los Angeles Rams have also clinched a playoff spot.
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
3. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
Updated NFC playoff picture
Most playoff teams in the NFC are already decided. The spot up for grabs is in the NFC South, where the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fighting for the division title by proxy. If the Falcons win Sunday, the Panthers go to the playoffs. If the Saints win, the Bucs go to the postseason.
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The NFC West has two teams that could be the division winner and there are a couple possibilities for the one seed that involve them.
Here is the current list:
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
2. Chicago Bears (11-5)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1)
11. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
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